An unworthy Deacon, named for the brother of God: James, striving to "work out his salvation with fear and trembling" within the Tradition (paradosis) of the Eastern Orthodox Faith. It is a strange and marvelous journey, and I am accompanied by the fourfold fruit of my fecundity. My wife, the Matushka or Diaconissa Sophia, is my beloved partner in the pursuit of Theosis, and she ranks me in every way.

Monday, July 03, 2006

Live like you were dying

I catch a small share of grief for admitting I listen to country music...but I reckon I still have my musical challenge out there on the table for ANYONE to try and go toe to toe using any other genre of music and see which can remotely compete with Country with regards to positive messages and values - extolling the importance of faith, devotion, friendship, fatherhood, motherhood, family, simplicity, hard work, commitment etc etc etc. Yeah, I know you are sure to note the many exceptions to such positive messages which can be found in country music, but none-the-less I still stand by my claim that no other genre can compete (you pick: sheer numbers or percentage...whatever). Besides, as you regulars will know, I ain't afraid to admit I've had to(on numerous occassions) pull my car over and finsih crying because of some dopey country song. Here's the newest one as performed by Tim McGraw:

He said I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before meAnd one moment came that stopped me on a dimeI spent most of the next days, looking at the x-raysTalking bout' the options and talking bout' sweet times.I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real endHow's it hit 'cha when you get that kind of news?Man what did ya do?He said

I went skydivingI went rocky mountain climbingI went two point seven seconds on a bull named Blue Man ChewAnd I loved deeperAnd I spoke sweeterAnd I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'And he said some day I hope you get the chanceTo live like you were dyin'

He said I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn'tAnd I became a friend, a friend would like to haveAnd all of a sudden goin' fishin, wasn't such an impositionAnd I went three times that year I lost my dadWell I finally read the good book, and I took a good long hard lookAt what I'd do if I could do it all againAnd then

I went skydivingI went rocky mountain climbingI went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man ChuAnd I loved deeperAnd I spoke sweeterAnd I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'And he said some day I hope you get the chanceTo live like you were dyin'

Like tomorrow was a giftAnd ya got eternity to think about what to do with itWhat could you do with itWhat did I do with itWhat would I do with it

SkydivingI went rocky mountain climbingI went two point seven seconds on a bull named Blue Man ChewAnd I loved deeperAnd I spoke sweeterAnd I watched an eagle as it was flyin'And he said some day I hope you get the chanceTo live like you were dyin'

Live like you were dyin'

Well, I don't know about sky diving and bull riding, but boy I sure could learn to love deeper, speak sweeter, and give forgiveness I've been denying. And, fact of the matter is, duh, we are dyin'